When There's No Hope Left
by Cappoquin's Calling
Summary: John Winchester went insane after the death of his wife. He believed monsters to be real, and hunted those who caught his attention. Dean had to protect Sammy...no matter what. When the BAU is called in, hope appears for the first time since Dean's nightmare began.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first Criminal Minds and Supernatural crossover, so please, bear with me.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own either Criminal Minds, or Supernatural.**

**(*_*)**

"Hey Dad… do you really think monsters are real?"

*Slap!*

"I'm sorry! They're real! They're real!"

Ten-year-old Dean Winchester sobbed, holding his cheek that was quickly turning blue. He clutched tightly with his other arm his sleeping little brother. He had to protect Sammy from their dad's insanity. It was his job as the older brother, and he would do anything to protect him.

"C'mon Dean, tonight we're hunting vampires!"

"I'll be back soon, o.k. Sammy?" whispered Dean to his whimpering brother. "Just lay down and go to sleep, and I'll be back before yah no it!"

"Love you, Dean."

"Love you to, Sammy."

Sammy was the only reason Dean didn't try to run away from John. Sammy was to little to survive if they ran away, so until Sammy was big enough, they'd just have to play along with their dad's insanity.

**(*_*)**

"DEAN! One of them is getting away! Go after it!"

Dean was almost sobbing as he chased the woman who had gotten away from his dad. When she tripped he ran straight to her starting to sob as he looked at her.

"Please, you don't have to do what that man says!" she whimpered.

"I have to! I'm sorry! He'll kill me an' Sammy if I don't!"

"Who's Sammy, sweat heart?" asked the woman, buying for time.

"He's my baby brother… I have to protect him, cause its my job. You understand, right! I don't wanna, but I hafta!" he sobbed.

"It's ok sweaty, its ok. I can help you and Sammy!"

*sob* "no body can help us!"

Suddenly, Dean stopped crying. He looked at her straight in the eye, before he nodded to himself.

"Lady, if you hurt me you can get away. Jus' knock me out an' run. I'll be ok, and you can live. He thinks you're a vampire, so he won' stop tryin' to kill you once you get away. So you have to get far away, ok, far, far away!" there was a hint of longing in his voice as he told her to run away.

Sarah Call looked at the little boy who was standing in front of her, trying to help her get away from that mad man. "I'm sorry!" she cried, before she knocked him out. She wasn't thinking straight, wasn't thinking about how she could have saved the little boy as well. She was only thinking of getting away from that insane murderer.

As she ran, she thought only of getting home, of getting safe. Later, once she was safely in the hospital, she would start to feel the guilt of leaving that little boy behind.

Two days later, two men came in to question her. They were from the FBI, more specifically, the BAU. SSA Hotchner, and SSA Doctor Reid. They were profilers that were here to profile the Shadywoods Forest Killer. A sketch artist had already been by.

"Can you tell us anything at all about the Unsub?" asked Agent Hotchner.

"Unsub?"

"An unsub is an unidentitified subject who in this case is our killer." Explained Dr. Reid.

"Well…he had a little boy with him. The guy was making the little boy help him. Dean, I think the kid's name was, has a little brother. He said that the guy would kill them if he didn't do what he was told. But Dean didn't kill me! He let me get away!"

The agents' faces were stoic, but there was a hint of surprise in their eyes.

"Thank you for your time."

"Wait…there was one more thing. Dean said that the…unsub… thought that I was a vampire. And there were other people who were with me that night… I was the only one who got away!" she sobbed. "You have to save those little boys before they get killed, too!"

"We'll do our best."

And with that, Agents' Hotchner and Reid left her hospital room.

**(*_*)**

"How could you let one get away! It was right there, and you let it escape! You're useless! USELESS!" John Winchester punctuated his tirade with kicks and punches to his cowering sons body.

"I'm sorry dad! Sorry! It won't happen again!"

"You're right it won't! Cause if it does, there won't be a next time for you!"

Dean crawled over to his baby brother. "Hey, Sammy, did you sleep good?" he smiled, in an effort that was ruined by the blood running down his forehead.

**(*_*)**

Hey hope you enjoyed it. Please Review!

Quin.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed and put this story as a favorite! Or to those who story alerted it!**

**Disclaimer:…is it necessary? I'm a high school student…how the hell would I own this?**

**Warnings: Mild profanity, mentions of death and abuse.**

**(*_*)**

"The unsub is a Caucasian male and is in his mid to late thirties. He has been operating under the delusion that the supernatural is real, and the people that he has killed thus far are of the supernatural." Said Reid, "He is most likely an army veteran due to his careful planning and well thought out actions."

" According to the only known survivor, he is a tall man, with dark hair and some facial hair. We will be giving out a sketch for the public to see. Also, the unsub has two young boys with him, likely his sons or children that he has kidnapped. One of the boys is known as Dean, and the other is known as Sammy.'

"These children may be the unsubs' weakness, but do not count on it. This man truly believes that he is saving people and killing creatures that would kill others if given the chance. He believed that our witness was a vampire and was prepared to cut off her head to kill "the vampire". The public is urged to use caution, because this man has no specific victimology. He follows patterns only he can see in his delusion, and anything may make him believe that someone is a creature that he is hunting. Thank you." Finished Reid.

Hotch watched as Reid and Morgan addressed the assembled crowd of police. Later today, J.J. would be briefing the public on the situation.

This case was perhaps one of the most intriguing that the BAU had come across. The Unsub was stuck in a paranoid delusion in which he was saving people by killing supernatural creatures. The most frightening part of it was that the unsub didn't have a specific body type or gender that he preferred, in fact, it seemed as though anyone was at risk of becoming this hunter's prey. His latest victims had all been staying in an abandoned barn together and this had apparently set him off.

Anything and everything would appear as though it were a sign to him. A group of people in close proximity, a rash of missing people, a murder, anything at all. The fact that he was forcing the boy, Dean, into helping him kill these people was a horrifying prospect. The child obviously knew that the unsub was wrong and had helped Sarah Call to escape. Dean was an older brother, willing to do anything to help keep his baby brother safe and out of harms way. This was made hard by the fact that they seemed to be in the care of a delusional man. From the actions of the unsub thus far, it was fair to assume that the boys were in danger from the unsub just as much as any of the victims of the man.

The thought of boys little older than his own son in such danger made Aaron Hotchner's heart squeeze in anguish. Children should never be exposed to such atrocities as were being committed by this man and it was more than unfortunate that the two children that the unsub held were in such a position.

**(*_*)**

**( ) : : ()**

Dean held in a whimper as his shirt rubbed against his fresh wounds. His father had been less than pleased with him after that little stunt in the woods, and had increased his training. With increased training also came harsher punishments should he fail in what he was doing. It was an unwritten rule that when training was increased, so were John's expectations.

Dean was not stupid. He knew that sooner or later John would decide that either Sammy or he were creatures that John had decided to hunt. He just hoped and prayed to whoever would listen that it didn't happen before he could get Sammy away. He tried to prepare Sam in whatever way he could. He taught Sam the proper way to pickpocket, to beg, and even to read. Anything that he could think of, he taught his little brother. In the real world, Dean would be considered a smart kid with true potential, someone who could make it in life.

In the world Dean lived in, he was someone who could survive.

"Sammy… remember that song I taught you last month? Could you sing it for me?"

"'kay, Dean. A is for Apple, B is for Bee, C is for Colors, D is for drink…"

It was the best he could do for Sam, teaching him how to read off newspapers and magazine scraps that he found in the seedy hotels that they stayed in. Dean couldn't help but to be proud of how smart Sammy was, smarter than him, that was for sure. (At least in Deans opinion…in Sammy's opinion, there was no one better than Dean.) In truth, both Winchester boys were intelligent, more so than the average children their age.

Dean didn't care how smart he was, he just cared about his two big S's. Survival, and Sammy. Nothing else mattered to him as much as the S's did. Nothing.

**(*_*)**

**() : : ()**

*Ring! Ring! Ri-*

"Hello?"

"This is the all knowing Goddess of Technology Garcia speaking."

"Baby-girl, you know you're on speaker phone, right?"

"Of course my Chocolate muffin. Anyway, I have some information for you guys."

"Garcia, what did you find?" asked Hotch.

"Well, there was a hit on our unsub. A former neighbor called in and said that he believed that the unsub was John Winchester. John Eric Winchester, former Corporal in the Marine Corps, 35, served in Vietnam, and earned a whole slew of medals and awards. He came back to his hometown in Indiana, where he fell in love with his wife, Mary Campbell, and worked as a successful mechanic. Their first son, Dean Winchester was born January 24, 1979. When he was four years old, his little brother Samuel Winchester was born on May 2, 1983." Garcia paused, her tone of voice grim, "This is where it gets really sad… when Dean was Four and Sammy was six months old, their mother, Mary, was killed by an unknown, before being impaled to the ceiling above Sam's crib. A fire was started and burned her remains till she was barely identifiable. Dean carried Sam out of the fire while John tried to save his wife from the fire. By the time firefighters and police arrived, the house was all on fire. John was delirious on scene, saying that a demon had come in and killed Mary."

"Mary's murder was most likely the trigger that caused John Winchester's delusions." Inserted Reid.

"Anything else, Garcia?" asked Emily.

"Well, John took the boys and set out on the road. No one knows where they went, and this is the first time anyone has had any clue of where the guy went. I'm sending you guys pictures of the Winchesters."

"Thank you, Garcia." Said Hotch.

"Garcia, out."

A smiling family peered out of the picture, infant Sam nestled in the arms of his mother, with a happy Dean hugging his father, unaware of the horrible fate that were destined to happen, barely a month after the picture was taken.

**(*_*)**

**() ()**

**I hope you enjoyed it! Read and review, please!**

**Quin**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, sorry for the long wait. I will give no excuses and will dodge angry readers to the best of my ability… considering I lack any sort of balance, it would be rather hilarious if I managed to do so with out falling over. Gravity hates me. I tripped over a pebble once. Right in front of my whole class. Pebbles. Are. Dangerous!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, or Criminal Minds. **

**(*_*)**

'One…'

'Two…'

'Three…'

'Four…'

'Five…'

'Si-'

"Dean!"

"Ye-es, Dad?" questioned Dean, who jerked out of his mental counting of Sammy's even breathing, stuttering as his father yelled for him. Sammy whimpered in his sleep threatening to wake up until Dean began to rub Sammy's head soothingly.

"Get your scrawny ass over here, double time!"

"Yes, Sir!"

Carefully detangling himself from his little brother, Dean made his way warily over to John, apprehension visible in his every movement.

"Dean."

"Yes sir?"

"Come with me."

"…what about Sammy?"

"Leave 'im. We'll be back soon."

"Okay…" replied Dean, who glanced worriedly back at the sleeping form of Sam, a dark sense of foreboding filling him.

"What are we doing?"

"Hunting Werewolves, Deany-boy!" said John, almost cheerfully.

"H-how?" stuttered Dean as they left the motel room.

"By using bait, of course."

"Bait?" Dean's foreboding became even worse.

In the car, he contemplated just opening the door and jumping out. But that would mean leaving Sam behind, to become the next bait. And Dean was nothing if not Sammy's protector. Even if it meant getting hurt in his stead.

**(*_*)**

Dean hurt.

Dean wanted to go home.

Dean wanted his momma.

Dean, he didn't want to be here anymore.

Dean wanted it all to end.

Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean, was floating away.

Dean thought red was too bright, as he saw it glinting in the moonlight.

Dean wanted to protect his brother.

Dean was disappearing.

Dean was turning into nothingness.

Dean didn't want to be there.

Dean just wanted it to end.

Dean wanted to yell at the man to run.

Dean wanted to tell him to leave, before it was too late.

Dean wished with all his heart that it wasn't to late.

Dean was quiet though, silver shining duck tape on his mouth.

Dean was almost crying.

But Dean didn't cry.

He couldn't.

Not anymore.

Dean was Strong.

Dean was a protector.

Dean couldn't protect them all.

'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!'

**(*_*)**

"Agent Hotchner, We've got another one!" yelled the deputy of police.

"Where?"

"Out in the woods. It seems as though the man was a camper…there's not to much left of him though."

"We'll follow your car. Reid, Morgan, come with me. Prentiss, J.J., get in contact with Garcia and we'll call with any information we get at the scene." Spoke Hotchner in an almost subdued tone as they left the police station. The case was getting to him in a way that few others did. When he thought of those two boys, all he could think about was what if Jack was ever in such a situation? And it tore at his heart that Dean and Sam Winchester were entrapped in such a dangerous environment.

Their SUV jolted and jumped with every pothole the back road into the forest had. Reid looked vaguely sick when they departed from the car, and Morgan stumbled slightly when he stepped out. Hotch, as usual, was perfectly unruffled.

"Hotch, how do you do that?" asked Morgan exasperated at his demeanor.

"Skills." Said Hotch with a smirk, leaving a stunned Morgan and Reid behind as he walked under the police tape.

"Skills?" asked Reid.

"Skills." Confirmed Morgan, still stunned at such an unusual Hotch-Moment.

**(*_*)**

The crime scene was a mess. There was blood everywhere and various little bits of human littering the ground around the body. One of the rookie local police men puked off in the bushes beyond the crime scene tape.

"They found the Campers campsite almost a mile away. There was no sign of a struggle along the way, only where the body was found. What made the guy come out here so far away from his tent?" asked Morgan after he finished talking to one of the police.

"Hotch, Morgan… is it just me, or does there seem to be more blood than is normal on the ground? I mean, there's the obvious blood around the body, but look! There's another pool with significantly less blood a little bit away from every thing else. And there's a trail leading away…" trailed off Reid, with a funny look on his face.

"What if the Camper came out here because he heard some one crying?" he asked.

"You mean, what if he was lured out?" clarified Morgan.

"Yes… I mean, Winchester has two viable…baits…" Said Reid, hesitantly as he realized the full horror of what he was suggesting.

"You mean that this Sicko is using his boys as bait?" asked Morgan disgustedly.

"Probably…"

"Damn it!"

"Agent Hotchner? We found some identification. The vic's name was Harold Cooper. He was out here on a week long camping trip according to the forests log."

"Thank you."

Reid was looking at Harold Cooper's corpse, more specifically, the knife that was embedded in Harold's heart. It was silver, not the plated stuff, but pure silver. The only creature Reid knew of who's weakness was silver would have to be a were wolf.

"I think Winchester thought that Mr. Cooper was a Werewolf."

A moments' silence over took the crime scene, before a resounding 'What?' echoed through the surroundings.

"Well, it was a full moon last night…" said one of the police officers weakly.

"That would also explain the presumed use of…bait… by Winchester. He thought that there was a wolf out here, so he offered it some meat." Said Reid, in the most monotonous voice he could use.

"That's a lot of blood, for a little boy." Said Morgan worriedly, as he looked at the congealing blood pool left behind by one of the boys. Either Sam or Dean, but if he had to guess, it was from Dean. That boy wouldn't have let John Winchester harm a hair on his baby brothers' head, from what they'd heard of him from Sarah Call.

"We should follow the blood trail and see where it leads us." Stated Hotch, startling Reid after being quiet for so long.

As they walked, Morgan tried putting himself into the mindset of John Winchester, but it was near impossible. He had almost no knowledge of the supernatural outside of what he'd seen on television, and it was hard to imagine yourself as a man who would turn his own children into bait for a supposedly carnivorous beast. Even if said beast was nothing but a delusion resulting from his psychosis.

They followed the trail until they came to another dirt road that connected with the high way, the blood abruptly stopping. This probably meant that Winchester and the boy had gotten into a car, but it did nothing to ease the worry the agents felt for a young boy who had lost so much blood.

"Hotch!" called Reid.

"What?"

"There's a shoe on the ground… it's pretty small. But it has a name written on it. It's Dean's."

A small shoe lay haphazardly on the ground with splashes of red staining the dirty surface, and a childish scrawl with the name Dean emblazoned on the front of the worn surface.

Even though it was morbid, Hotch couldn't help but think of Hansel and Gretel, leaving behind their breadcrumbs, in the hopes of returning home. Dean was leading them to him with bits and pieces of himself though, not breadcrumbs.

**(*_*)**

Some where in town, in a dingy motel room, Dean Winchester was curled up into a ball, protectively shielding his cut up body as best he could.

"Dean? Are you okay?" asked Sammy, his face filled with childish concern.

"O-of c-c-course I am. I'm j-j-just a litt-t-tle t-t-tired." He stuttered, a pained smile on his face.

"Okay!" exclaimed Sammy happily.

"I love you, Dean!"

"Love you too, Sammy…I'm j-just gonna g-get some sleep, alright?"

"Okay, Dean!"

Dean smiled weakly at his baby brother, before carefully turning over and allowing his mask to drop. He hurt, so, so much. And he wanted Momma to come and make it all better.

**(*_*)**

**I kind of felt bad when I wrote this. I hurt Dean, and that made me feel guilty…So, I wrote a chapter 3 for one of my other stories, and I got no reviews, and that was one of the reasons why I haven't updated in a while. I felt kind of bad about my writing skills, so I put it off. So please, Read and Review.**

**Quinn.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I am supremely overwhelmed by the response you guys gave me! Thank you so much! Now, to prevent a riot, I'll continue with the story, so stop sending me mental glares as you read about Dean…I was glaring at myself by the end of the last Chapter.**

**Disclaimer: My doctor's say it's not mine, but I dunno…**

**(*_*)**

"A significant amount of blood was found at the scene, but not all of it belonged to the Victim. There were two blood pools, one of which was Mr. Coopers, and the other was from another unidentified donor." Reported Reid, before continuing somewhat excitedly, on. "There was 3 and a half liters of blood in the other blood pool. Which is half the amount of blood that a ten year old child has, and that is also how old Dean Winchester is-"

"Reid, sweet cheeks, just stop. I don't want to hear that some baby boy might be dead." Bemoaned Garcia, her voice catching in her throat ever so slightly.

"Sorry…"

Garcia looked at her computer screens, her eyes focusing on a picture of a sweet looking four year old with freckles and dimples gazing out at her. The very thought of such a sweet little boy bleeding out on the forest floor was just unthinkable. And the fact that it was the boys father who may or may not have done it, was even worse. Be that as it may, the tech goddess had work to do, sifting through pictures of Harold Coopers murder site, and avoiding thinking about dimples, and sunny smiles gazing out at her.

**(*_*)**

"Daddy? Where's Dean?"

"Dean's gone away for a little while, ok, Sammy?"

"But, but, where'd Dean go?"

"Away, but don't worry…it's only for a little while." Stated John with a smile that was little more than the tweaking of his lips, and did not go to his eyes. "Just for a little while, Sammy, and then Dean can come back."

"Then he can come back…" repeated John as he looked out the single window in the seedy motel in which they stayed, with a strange expression on his face.

**(*_*)**

Fire.

Burning.

Alone.

Alone.

Alone.

Alone.

Alone.

Where?

Where was he?

Why?

Why?

Why?

Why, Daddy?

Daddy?

I love you, Daddy…

Daddy, do you remember when you loved me?

Was it my fault Mommy died?

Is it my fault that you don't love me?

, don't hurt Sammy!

Burning up!

I'm Burning up!

Mommy, I remember an angel bursting into flames…

Mommy…why'd you leave me?

Fire racing through my stomach,

It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!

Mommy?

Kiss it better?

Mommy?

Mommy?

I think I see you, Mommy…

Mommy, I took care of Sammy…

Just like you told me to.

I did it!

Didn't I?

It's dark, Mommy…

I miss you…

I miss Daddy, before he became, Sir.

Love, love, love, when did it all leave?

Did I do something wrong, Mommy?

Big Brother's gonna protect yah, Sammy!

Don't worry!

Don't worry…

Don't worry.

**(*_*)**

"Reid, have you found the general location in which the murders were committed?" asked Hotch.

"Yes. They all seem to be taking place in a radius of thirty miles of the town, but I had Garcia look for more instances similar to these. She found a pretty large trail spanning practically the whole country. It started six years ago, which holds with the time period that John Winchester started "hunting", as it were."

"Reid, start pin pointing where Winchester is staying in town. Morgan, you come with me and help me with the first crime scene."

**(*_*)**

The abandoned barn was suitably creepy for the site of a mass homicide. Six victims, all within the vicinity of the barn, with Sarah Call being the only survivor…it was unthinkable really, that one man was capable of doing this. But one man had done it, and there was no denying it.

The way Sarah told it, she and the others had been homeless, and squatting in the barn to get away from the autumn chill. They had stayed maybe six consecutive days before they were attacked.

John had sent Dean as a distraction.

Bruised and slightly bloody, Dean had sparked concern among the group, and had allowed John to sneak behind them. He had beheaded two of them with an axe before chasing after the other five. Winchester must have studied the land around them, for he had set up traps, and tracked them down like animals. One young man had fallen into a pitfall trap filled with sharpened spikes. Another had set off a trip wire, which had shot a bolt through their head. The final woman had almost gotten to the road when John had caught up with her. She had not had a peaceful end.

Sarah Call was perhaps one of the luckiest women alive. She had not only escaped with her life, but also with minimal injuries. The most unfortunate aspect of her survival was that John knew that she had survived, and as such, would continue to hunt her in order to kill the "vampire".

As Hotch surveyed the barn, he took note of a symbol carved onto the door of the barn. It resembled an Egyptian ankh, with a snake entwined around it and the roman numeral I. He frowned, wondering what it meant.

**(*_*)**

"Okay, Boss-man. The Egyptian ankh represented eternal life, and considering that Winchester had put it there, its possible that he put it there to warn others that one vampire had gotten away." Said Garcia perkily.

"Baby girl, did you have coffee?" asked Morgan.

"Yeah, yes, yup! I did! With extra, extra sugar!"

"Thanks, Garcia." Said Hotch.

**(*_*)**

"DEAN! You're back!" screamed Sammy, excitedly.

"Yeah, kiddo, I'm b-back." Said Dean, dazedly.

"Guess what Dean?"

"What?"

"Daddy's a hero, Dean! And I want to be just like him!"

And all Dean could do was cry.

**(*_*)**

**Hey! I hope you don't all hate me for doing this to Dean…he'll be taken from his misery, soon enough! Thank you to all who reviewed, and to EvilEli, you're not evil! Read and Review!**

**Quinn**


	5. Chapter 5

**My computer crashed…I literally cried.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own either Supernatural, or Criminal Minds.**

(*_*)

'_She could be, easy to find you see_

_She writes her songs, only for you to sing_

_She digs the words, out of the sky_

_She leaves them there, for you to find.'_

_(Katie Herzig, way to the Future…listen to it, its amazing.)_

_Sleep, Dean.'_

'_Momma?'_

'_Yes, Dean?'_

'_It hurts.'_

'_Oh, Dean, I'm so sorry baby boy!'_

"DEANDEANDEAN! Wake up, wake up! Daddy's back!"

Dean woke abruptly from his dream and felt like crying. He wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, and see his momma again. A minute later, Sammy's words processed, and a jolt of fear shot down his spine.

"D-dad?"

"Get up, Dean, Daddy's got something for you! He said that you had to go to the car to get it!"

"All right, Sammy, I'm getting up." Dean gritted his teeth in a tremendous effort not to let the pain he was feeling show in his voice.

Sammy was bright, excited, and happy. 'And why wouldn't he be,' questioned a voice in Dean's head, 'his hero's back!'

With no small amount of trepidation, Dean got dressed all the while being careful not to irritate his wounds any more than was possible. When Dean limped out to the Impala, John took one look at him and snorted before muttering something about his son being a "god-damn pussy" and turning to get something from the front of the car.

It was long, and thin, and covered in leather. John took the leather covering off of it, showing that beneath was a deadly sharp looking knife made of silver. Perhaps, if Dean was normal, and had a normal father, he could have appreciated the knife as a bonding gift from father to son, but, being as he and John were, that was highly unlikely.

"Well, Dean-o, since that last time you were bait worked so well, I decided that we'll have to take advantage of that. This is for you, to do it yourself…God knows that it's the only thing your good for."

Despite the fact that his father had just relegated him to nothing more than a piece of bait, Dean remained blank and mechanical and took the 'present' from John with extreme apathy.

"I'll try not to disappoint you, Sir."

"See that you don't."

Ad Dean didn't care enough anymore to do anything other than nod. Sam had his hero, and it wasn't him. He wasn't anything more than a piece of bait, he had no purpose other than that. Sam could have his hero, but it wouldn't be Dean, not anymore.

(*_*)

"Hotch, Garcia's got something!" said Morgan, excitedly.

"Patch her through."

"Hey boss-man! So, I decided I'd look through the motel/hotel records to see if there was any suspicious names, and you'll never guess who I found!"

"Garcia."

"Yes?"

"Tell us now."

"Yes, Boss. Staying at the Claremont Vista Hotel, in room C102, is one Jimmy Manson, plus two kids, supposedly called Charles and John. I really hope that Charles Manson is a fake name, cause that would suck being named that!"

"Garcia."

"Yes?"

"You are a Goddess among Computer Geniuses."

"Dude, I know."

"…"

"I mean, Thank you!"

"Better."

(*_*)

With sirens blaring and a sense of urgency, the police and BAU agents made their way to the Claremont Vista Hotel. Upon arriving, the Police Chief flashed the warrant to the desk manager and Morgan broke down the door. The agents filed in, prepared for hostility.

"Why'd yah brake the door?" questioned a childish tone.

Sitting on the bed was a small boy, maybe six or seven years old, with the television remote in hand, his head cocked to the side in question.

"Samuel?" question Hotch.

"How do you know my name?" asked Sam, his curiosity evident in the tilt of his head, and the tone of his voice.

"I'm FBI Agent Aaron Hotchner, where's your Dad and Dean?"

"Daddy took Dean for a ride! I wanted to go, but Daddy wouldn't let me…" Sam said as slumped dejectedly.

Morgan, Hotch, and Reid all shared a look that unanimously spelt out what they were thinking. Crap.

"Sam, can you come with us? Your dad asked us to come get you." Lied Morgan.

"If daddy said I could…"

"He did." Confirmed Reid.

"Then I'll come with you!"

(*_*)

A few miles away in a cave, surrounded by tree's Dean watched with dead eyes as John set up a trap.

(*_*)

**Et Fini.**

**At least until next time. I apologize for the wait, and also for the shortness of the chapter. I had started this chapter, and the following, before my computer crashed and died, so, needless to say, I was left with nothing. It was horrible, to tell you the truth. In regards to The Burning scene from last chapter, it will be explained in detail in the next chapter, but as you may have guessed, it had something to do with Dean being hurt. The dream Dean had at the beginning of the chapter was more to do with how alone and betrayed Dean feels right now, and his mommy singing to him would be the most comforting thing he could think of.**

**Until next time,**

**Quinn.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for taking so long…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own. Believe it.**

(*_*)

"1, 2, 3, 4, Daddy's at the door,

5, 6, 7, 8, Dean doesn't care anymore,

9, 10, 11, 12, all he wants is to hurt no more." Read Reid out loud.

"Momma burned, gone away,

Momma, please, I wanted you to stay.

If you couldn't stay, couldn't you please,

Please,

Bring me away?"

"…it seems as though Dean is in a suicidal state of mind, and will not fight against his father. We have to find them as quickly as possible." Said Hotch after a small pause.

"Reid, come with me to talk with Sam. Morgan, talk to Garcia about setting up surveillance in all possible locations and circulating the aged photo of Dean. JJ, Emily, talk with the Police Chief about the new updates."

"On it, boss!" came the resounding cry.

(*_*)

"Samuel? I'm Dr. Reid, and you remember Agent Hotchner, right?"

"My name's Sammy, not Samuel!" said Sammy, his nose scrunched up at the name Samuel.

"All right, Sammy. Can you tell me a few things about your dad?"

"Daddy's a hero! That's what he always says, but Dean doesn't think so…I dunno why, cause, I mean Dean gets to help Daddy with everything!" pouted Sammy.

"Do you know where your Dad and Sam are now?" asked Hotch, cautiously.

"Daddy said they were goin' into the woods to set up a trap!"

"Do you know what they were setting the trap up for?"

"Uhuh! They're hunting Water people!"

"Water People?"

"Daddy said that water people are people who used to be human, but then became canni-ni-ni, then they ate people, and turned into water breathing monsters who eat people."

The only reason Sam was telling the agents all of this, was because he was extremely proud of his Daddy, and wanted to tell someone what his Dad did.

"Did your Dad say how you trapped Water People?" asked Reid.

"You bait 'em. They live in ponds by caves and show up when they smell blood!"

"…Thank you for telling us, Sammy."

"Yeah! Daddy said Dean was going to be helpful tonight…I'm so jealous!"

'Helpful my ass.' Thought Hotch, 'Dean's the bait.'

(*_*)

The sound of splashing caught Dean's attention, as well as laughter.

Swimmers who were out for a midnight swim…

Please, pleaded Dean, leave now. John would wait until the moon was high in the sky before throwing Dean in the water, the swimmers had until then to get away.

"Please, no more." Whispered Dean, as he looked out the cave entrance.

"No more…"

(*_*)

() =o

d b

"In Shadywood's, there are approximately 15 lakes and ponds, 5 of which have a system of caves near them." Said Garcia.

"Alright, thank you, Garcia." Said Hotch.

"Split up into five teams, and each team head out to those five locations." Directed Hotch to the local policemen and women.

With that, the police and Agents ran off to their cars, sirens blaring.

(*_*)

2o minutes later:

Morgan and five other police officers crept into a cave. It was empty.

Morgan picked up his walkie talkie, "Hotch, not here, over."

"Not here, either, over." Came Hotch's voice.

"Not here, over." Prentiss.

"Not here, over."Reid.

"That leaves J.J., everyone, go to J.J.'s location, now! Over!"

(*_*)

J.J. could hear splashes and laughter and could see a flash light coming from the little lake in front of her.

The moon hung bright and almost full in the sky directly overhead.

Another splash, this one more panicked, and the laughter stopped.

"Kristy, did you hear that?" asked a male voice.

While they spoke, J.J. crept around to where the splash had come from, with two officers close behind her.

"Joe! It's a kid!" exclaimed Kristy.

They were to late to stop Dean from being used once again as bait, but that didn't mean that they weren't to late to stop him from dying.

A little ways ahead of her, J.J. could see a hunched over form of a man at the edge of the lake. John Winchester, in the flesh.

"FBI! Freeze!"

John turned, a gun in hand, and a crazed look in his eyes.

"Monster! I will kill you!" he shouted.

He advanced, and pulled his gun up, but before he could get a shot out, J.J. shot him in the arm. He fell, and J.J. cuffed him. She ran to the water, where the two swimmers had pulled Dean from the water.  
>"Call for an ambulance!" she shouted at the officers.<p>

"Dean, can you hear me?"

Dean looked up at her, eyes glazed water and blood dripping from his mouth.

"I'm tired…"

"I know, buddy, I know, but you gotta stay awake, allright?"

"Muh…hurts. Can't let Sammy … get hurt, gotta help Sammy, even though I said I wouldn't anymore…"

"It's okay, Dean, your dad can't hurt anyone anymore."

"G-good…"

"Dean, stay awake!"

"But…I wanna see, momma…again."

"No, Dean! Stay awake!"

And the ambulance sirens grew closer.

"I'm tired… I'm going to rest, just, just for a minute…"

"Not yet, Dean! Wait just a little bit longer!"

"Pretty lady…sorry, pretty lady…"

(*_*)

**so…. Don't hate me for this. There will be one or two more chapters. I'm really sorry about the waiting time.**

**Please, Read and review.**

**Quinn.**


	7. Chapter 7

…**Hi. Sorry for the long wait, but its been pretty hectic for me lately. Aaand my right arm stopped working for about a week, something to do with the ligaments… anyway, that's all better now **

**ONWARDS, MY WAYWARD STORY!**

**Disclaimer: Y u no know I no own?**

"We're losing him!"

"Charging to 150!"

"Nothing!"

"200!"

"Damn!"

"250, now!"

"Doctor…"

"I said now!"

'Beep…Beep…Beep'

"Back online. The kid's a fighter."

"Alrighty, then. Suction."

"Yes, Doc."

(*_*)

( )_( )

) (

As Hotch sat on the uncomfortable hospital chair, he was plagued with thoughts. John Winchester, while his delusions varied according to the situation, was a dime a dozen. So many people went insane after the death of a loved one that it was hardly surprising such a situation had arisen with Winchester. Perhaps it was because there were children involved, and that he himself was a father, he didn't know. But something (Dean, his mind whispered) was sticking with him about this whole thing.

It wasn't the fact that Dean had gone through those trials by itself, so much as his strength while doing it. Dean, until the very end, had not given up. But even still, there was only so much the psyche of a ten-year-old boy, of anyone, really, could take. And now, the very same boy was fighting for his life. Or maybe not… J.J. had said that he had mentioned his dead mother, and the poem that Reid had found was very indicative about Dean's state of mind. And in that particular state of mind, Hotch wasn't sure if they could expect for Dean to pull through.

If Mary Winchester had ever heard what Aaron Hotchner was thinking, she would have slapped him upside the head, and told him that Dean wouldn't leave his brother alone. Ever.

"Dean Winchester?"

Hotch stood up quickly, as did the rest of the team.

"We're the FBI agents that found him."

"…Well, Agent…"

"Hotchner."

"Well, Agent Hotchner. We have good news and bad news."

Hotch's heart missed a beat (or so it seemed), and an ache somewhere in his chest began to start.

"Dean coded four times on the table. There was a lot of damage, and not all of them are all that recent. Dean was filled with internal injuries, and external, the most noticeable being burns and knife marks*. Dean also displayed the effects of malnutrition and dehydration over an extended period of time, as well as a severe concussion, most likely from when he was pushed into the water."

J.J. looked ready to cry, most likely thinking of her own son, and imagining if any of this were to ever happen to him.

"Dean also has broken ribs, one of which (the most recent) punctured his right lung. He has fractures consistent with holding a defensive position, and to many bruises to count." The Doctor looked tired.

"He's being held in the ICU. He's in a coma. The bad news," 'All that hadn't been the bad news?' thought Morgan, incredulously. "is that due to the unknown extant of head trauma he received when he was pushed into that pond, we don't know whether or not he will have brain damage i-when he wakes up."

"What's the good news?" asked Reid, somewhat sarcastically.

"He's alive. And due to the situation, I think that's all you can ask for."

(*_*)

_There was light…beautiful white light that warmed him from head to toe, for the first time in a long time._

_A sigh, and the scent of lilac._

"_Momma?"_

(*_*)

"He's crashing! Code Blue! Get a cart in here! Now!"

"CLEAR!"

(*_*)

_He was being hugged, and it felt wonderful._

"_Oh, my baby boy… I'm so, so sorry…"_

"_Momma, Momma, Momma…love you so much Momma…Don't leaveDONTLEAVEDONTLEAVE!"_

_There was a strange feeling in his chest, like some one was tugging him. _

"_Dean, baby boy, it's not time yet. I'll always be here waiting for you and Sammy, but now's not the time for you to come here. You've got angels watching over you, baby, never forget that. I love you, so, so, much. Never, ever, forget that, alright?"_

_The tug was more insistent and impatient now._

"_I know, Momma. Love you, too."_

"_Bye for now, sweet boy. I'm so proud of you!"_

_The tug was unbearable now, pulling him out of the warmth, and into the cold unforgiving world. The last thing Dean saw for a long time, was his Mother's smiling face._

(*_*)

"Clear!"

"We got him."

"You stay with us, alright Dean? You've got a little brother, you know? Sammy's not going to want to be all alone, so you better stick around, ok?"

(*_*)

(Two weeks later:)

Dean had been moved to a hospital in Virginia, while Sam was put into foster care. With Garcia.

There had been little to no change in Dean's condition, the only concrete change being that he was no longer in the ICU. But today, as Sam was visiting with Garcia, Dean twitched.

A week later, Dean began to wake up, opening his eyes for a minute, before closing them again.

A month later, Dean woke up all the way, for a whole hour.

He was traumatized, as was expected, and shied away from any human contact.

The next time he woke up, he let Sammy hold his hand.

Due to the damaged state of his heart, Dean was on the transplant list with a pace maker installed. He gradually stayed awake longer and longer, before he was able to stay up for most of a day. He began therapy, both mental and physical soon after.

Garcia spoiled Sam and him rotten, as did the rest of the team.

Dean looked up to Hotchner as a father figure, with Morgan and Reid as his quirky older brothers, Garcia, his motherly sister (no one could ever take the place of his Momma), and Emily and J.J. as his older sisters.

John Winchester was committed to a high security psychiatric ward, highly sedated and restrained to prevent his violent tendencies.

Sam called Garcia Mom, by the time he was 8.

Dean got his new heart when he was 14.

Dean graduated valedictorian.

Dean became a doctor.

Dean was always wary of humans.

Dean did what he had done since he was a child. Something that his father had inadvertently taught him…

Dean saved all the people he could.

(*_*)

**So, this is the end for this story. I may do a one shot later on as a continuation, but we will see. **

**I don't believe in perfect endings, and it kind of pisses me off when some one finishes a story with a picture perfect ending. Dean would never get over his past completely; it was years of terror, therefore ingrained in his psyche. So, while he would still have his hero complex, he would be a lot less open to those he didn't trust.**

**Hugs and fishes, and wishful wishes…**

**Quinn**

**P.S.**

**Review…please… I'm pitifully begging you with puppy dog eyes, even if you can't see them…**

**O^O **


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey there, strange strangers…**

**Been a while, hasn't it?**

**Ahem…**

**Without further ado…**

**The continuation. Which is singular. And highly inspired by mywarisalreadywon's Many Meanings…**

(*_*)

"Doctor Winchester-Garcia?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think, maybe, that you'd like to go out with me, to dinner? This Sunday?"

Dean looked up from the charts in his hands, blinking slowly as he processed the words. The woman in front of him wrung her hands nervously, shifting around on her feet awkwardly. She was an attractive woman, with a wild mane of curly blonde hair, warm brown eyes, and the height of a particularly tall leprechaun.

"What?" he asked, stupidly.

"Um, this Sunday…do you…want to get something to eat?"

Shifting slightly, Dean cleared his throat.

"I, um, need to check my schedule first."

The woman's face flushed abruptly and she stiffened.

"I see."

(*_*)

Dean was in a state of slight shock as he made his way out of the hospital at the end of his shift. Brandi Williams was a friend, a nurse in the pediatric unit of his hospital, and someone whose company he truly enjoyed. He had been caught off guard by her invitation, and had scrambled for something to say. Anything.

But, as seemed par for the course for him, he couldn't think of anything. His life, since his adoption and integration into normal society, had been a series of awkward attempts at emulating normal, healthy relationships. Penelope was an amazing mother figure, though more of a sister to him, and had helped him in so many ways, but relationships never seemed to work out for him.

Sammy never had these problems. He had been able to put most, if not all, of his trauma behind him, beyond resentment towards his father's fall from hero (in his eyes) to villain. He was in a fully committed relationship with Jessica Moore, and soon to be graduating at the top of his class at Stanford Law School.

Dean, however, had a series of failed attempts at forming bonds with people outside his family. The longest relationship he'd had was a month, before she couldn't take his closed off attitude.

Getting into his car, Dean let out a sigh, melting bonelessly into the leather seats of a '67 impala. He rolled his windows down, letting in the cool spring air, before he took out his cell phone to call Penny. He needed to talk to her.

"Briiing-briiing-briiing-HI! You've reached Penelope Garcia, technological genius extraordinaire, I can't get to the phone at the moment, so leave your words at the beep!"

Dean didn't bother leaving a message. He turned the key in the ignition, the familiar purr soothing the deep-seated ache in his chest, if only a little. Metallica was blaring from the speakers in the car, cementing him to the moment. It was strange.

Dean felt almost as though he were about to float off, untethered and unrestrained. It was a dangerous feeling. The music was a thread, barely tangible in its existence, keeping him from flying away.

The drive to his apartment was a mere five minutes, but it seemed to last forever. It felt as though his life was in slow motion, and he could barely stand it.

Entering his house, Dean locked the door mechanically, not bothering to turn on any lights. His answering machine blinked, indicating a message. He ignored it.

(*_*)

The clock blinked in a taunting manner.

_3:03 am_

Dean stared at it, wishing he would fall asleep. Five minutes later, he gave up and got up and wandered into his living room, flicking on a light. Pictures of Penny, Sam, himself, and the rest of the BAU were illuminated.

Connections.

He had them, he could practically feel the ties, but there was some sort of disjunction between the world and himself. He tried so hard to be a part of it, but he just couldn't find a way to truly enter in.

The answering machine kept blinking.

Pressing play, Dean got a glass of water, mindlessly puttering about as the machine started.

"You have, one, new message: _Doctor Winchester-Garcia, this is Doctor Rowe from the Sheldon Institute. I apologize for being the bearer of bad news, but your father, John Winchester had a heart attack earlier today and passed away. If you would please call us to inform us of funeral arrangements, we would be highly appreciative. Once again, I'm sorry for your loss."_

At some point after the second sentence, Dean had dropped his glass, which shattered on contact. Whether it was just the news, or the slightly bored, matter-of-fact way the doctor had stated it, Dean was shaking. He slid slowly to his floor, mind numb with shock.

A feral smile split his face in a jagged simile of happiness.

(*_*)

"Sam Winchester-Garcia, speaking."

"Shit, Sam, is that you or a dinosaur talking?"

"Dean? What the hell man? It's five in the morning!"

"I've got news for you! The best news in the world! Ahahahahaha!" Dean giggled crazily.

"Dean, what's wrong?"

"Wrong, nothing is wrong! In fact, everything is right!"

"Tell me what's happening!"

"Dad's dead! He's gone, gone, gone!"

"…. W-what?"

"He's gone!"

Sam Winchester-Garcia stared stupidly at the phone in his hand. _Dead? As in gone forever, dead?_

This bucolic happiness his brother was emitting was somewhat terrifying. Sam couldn't help but feel a pang, for both his father and his brother. His father for ruining so many people's lives, and his brother for showing true happiness for the first time in years at the expense of the life of another.

Sam knew, logically, that his father had been insane, but he resented the man for destroying Dean. He also knew that he had been told, at best, only half of the actions his father had taken. Dean hadn't needed to be told anything, having experienced it all in horrific, up-close detail.

So, ignoring the faint whisper of his childhood that cried for his father, Sam smiled.

"He's really, really gone."

Dean's laughter broke his heart, just a little bit.

(*_*)

"Dean-baby, what's happening?"

"Penny, he's gone!"

"Who's gone?"

"My bastard of a father!"

"Langu—wait, what?"

"He's dead, dead, dead!"

Penelope started crying (happily) for Dean, hoping that this would be the final step that Dean needed to move on. The shadow he'd been living under was finally gone, and he never needed to worry about that evil, evil man getting out and getting to him again.

(*_*)

Walking into work the following day, Dean had a dazzling smile on his face. It caused his co-workers to stop and blink in muted shock. Dean was known for being a great doctor, and about as happy as a rock being crushed to gravel. He got results, but never gave smiles.

"Brandi! Brandi, my wonderful, lovely friend, is that dinner offer still on?"

"I- what?" The nurse in question stared bewildered at the exuberant doctor in front of her.

"Dinner, you and me?"

"What?" She stuttered.

"At La Strata?"

"Yes?"

"Great! Give me your number, I'll text you for details!"

Shocked, Brandi took his phone and entered her number.

"Talk to you later!"

"Yeah…yeah?"

It wasn't much, but it was a step that Dean had been waiting for, for years.

(*_*)

**Yo, it's been a while, hasn't it?  
>Hope this was a bit more satisfactory than the previous ending.<strong>

**I was checking out the Supernatural/Criminal Minds archive, and saw a story that inspired me to write an ending that I could actually be proud of. So, go check out Many Meanings, by mywarisalreadywon.**

**Hugs and fishes, **

**And all good wishes,**

**Quinn**


End file.
